Process of concentrating ores and minerals by flotation



rm add beas, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFrncs.

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. i invention relates to the concentration of ores, minerals and the like, by differential flotation, and is more particularly adapted to substances or combinations have been used as flotation reagents and, in some of the ma combinations used, a soluUle sulfite has been" included.

It has been found, according to the present invention, that the use as a flotation reagent, of a thiazole compound with the addition of a soluble sulfite gives excellent results not attained by the use of either of the substances alone or in other combinations.

This invention is for a process of concentrating, by flotation, ores and minerals containing lead sulfide with or without zinc sulfide, and comprlses subiecting the ore in I the form of a pulp to 'a flotation operation in the presence ofa thiazo'le compound and a soluble sulfite.

As a specific example of carrying out the flotation operation according to the presentinvention, the following procedure may be used Using Sullivan Mining and Concentrat; ing Company ore, I grind 500 grams of the Lore with 350 cc. of water and .75 grams of sodium carbonate iii a ball mill for one-half hour. The mixture isjthen diluted to 40% solids, and to this pulp is added a sodium salt of mercapto-benzo-thiazole (.03 pounds per ton of ore), pine oil (.08 pounds per ton),[

and sodium hyposulfite .40 pounds per ton) The entire mixture is preagitated or conditioned for one minute. Following this the pulp is diluted to allow circulation and froth formation. A lead rougher concentrate froth is removed for three minutes. At the end of the lead period copper sulfate is added in the proportion 'of one pound per ton, and the agitation is'continued for one-half minute. Additional sodium salt of mercaptobenzo-thiazole is added-"in the proportion of .12 pound per ton and the flotation operation Many other NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR 'IO E. I. DU DE mom & OOIPANY, 0]! WILMINGTON,

DELAWARE, A GOBYOBATION Q! DEBA- or' concnn'rm'rme one am: ummums BY rLo'rA'rIox.

Application filed January 10, 1927., Serial No. 109,302.-

is-continued, removing the zinc froth-for ten minutes. The results obtained are 'ven in column 1. Column 2 represents an i enti cal treatment of the same ore. withthe exception that the flotation operation is carried out without using the hvposulfite.

Column 1. Column 2. With Without sulflte. sulflte.

rougher concentrate: Per cent weight of heads er cent Zn Per cent of total Zn Zinc rougher concentrate:

Per cent Zn Per cent of total Zn 5'5 9 3 9 no ovum $$$5 one: im-nhoq It will be evident from the above results that the sodium hyposulfite has a pronounced depressing effect on the flotation of the zinc sulfide during the lead flotation period. It is also found that by using the sulfite in the flotation operation the lead concentrate is much cleaner in that it contains much less foreign matter than is the case when the sulfite is not used.

. The following thiazole compounds are some which have been found of value in carrying out the flotation operation of the present invention: mercapto benzo thiazole, 1gnercapto-3-methyl-benzo thiazole, mercapto naphthyl thiazole,'benzo thiazole di: su'lfide, zinc mercapto benzo thia'zole, sodium mercapto benzo thiaole', potassium mercapto benzo thiazole, calcium mercapto benzo thiazole, zinc mercapto-3-methyl benzo thiazole and benzo thiazole mono-sulfide.

It has been found that a frothing'agent is generally necessary in carrying out the flotations according to the present invention.-

.In carrying outmy with ore from the Bingham property of the flotation operation U S. Smel'ting Refining & Mining Com any,

the samegeneral procedure was carrie as just described using sodium mercapto benzo thiazole and sodium sulfite. The results obtained wereas follows:

Lead rougher concentrate.

N RONVQI'Y FB l'l" M. sir. t Ratio lbs. per .2," g A Pb:Zn.

ton Pb. Zn. weight The last column represents that part of the lead rou her concentrate which is not galena. or sp alerite. Examination shows that it consists yery largely of ptyrite.

After removal of the lead su de, the zinc sulfide can, in general, be floated by adding to the fiul copper sulfate or some other agent w ic destroys the deadening action of the sulfite. It is also usually necessary to add more of a'collecting agent and a frothin gent. v

the case of ores containing, in addition to the sulfides of lead and zinc, iron sulfide, the latter malyi be floated by a further addi tion of a co ecting a nt and a frothing agent to the tailin om the zinc sulfide flotation.

The amounts of flotation agent and soluble sulfite which are required to obtain the best difl'erential flotation results will depend largely upon the character of the ore treated, an may va within wide limits. Any suitab e soluble sulfite may be used 1n carrying out the process but it has been found that the alkali metalsulfites, and particularly sodium sulfites such as sodium hyposulfite are valuable because of their ready availability and comparative cheapness.

Any suitable and desired variations may. made in details of the process, or in the specific substances used and the conditions under which they are used," without departmg from the spirit and scope of the present invention. a

I claim: 1. In the process of concentrating ores and minerals b flotation, thestep which comprises sub ecting the ore in the form of a pulp to a flotation operation in the presence of-a thiazole compound and a soluble sulfite. 2. In the process of concentrating ores and minerals by flotation, the step which comprises subjecting the ore in the form of a. pulp to a flotation operation in the presence of an aryl thiazole compound and a soluble sulfite.

8. In the process of concentratin ores and minerals by flotation, the ate w ich comprises subjecting the' ore in t e form of a pulp to a flotation operation in the resence of a benzo thiazole and a soluble su fite.

4. In the process of concentratin ores and minerals by flotation, the ste w 'ch comprises subjecting the ers in t e form of a pulp to a flotation operation in the presence of a sodium salt of a benzo thiazole and a soluble sulfite. Y

5. In the process of concentratin ores and minerals by flotation, the ste w ich comprises subjecting the ore in t e form of a pulp to a-flotation operationin the presence of a meme to benzo thiazole and a' watersoluble sul te. Y 6. In the process ofconcentratin ores and minerals by flotation, the ste w ich comprises subjecting the ore in t e form of a pulp to a flotation operation in the presence of a sodium salt of a mercaptobenzo thiazole and a water-soluble sulfite.

In the process of concentrating minerals by flotation, the stetp1 w ich comprises subfiecting the ore in e form of a pulp to a otation operation in the presence of a sodium salt of a mercapto benzo thiazole and a sodium sulfite.

8. In the process of concentratin ores and mineralsby flotation, the ste w ich comprises subjecting the ore in 0 form of a non-acid pulp to a flotation operation in the presence of a thiazole compound and a soluble sulfite. 1

9. The im rovement in aprocess for separating lea sulfide and zinc sulfide from ores containin sameand from each other by flotation, w ich comprises subjecting the ore in the form of a pulp to a flotation operation in the presence of a thiazole compound and a soluble sulfite, thereby removing the lead sulfide and leaving a residue containin the zinc sulfide, mixing with the residue a ditional flotation reagent and a substance capable of counte the depressing efl'ect of the sulfite upon the zinc sulfide, and recovering the zinc sulfide by subjecting the mixture to a further flotation operation.

10. The improvement in a process for separating lead sulfide and zinc sulfide from ores containin same and from each other by flotation, w ich comuprises subjecting the ore in the form of a p p to a flotation operation in the resence of a thiazole com pound and. a so uble sulfite, thereby removmg the lead sulfide and'leaving a residue containing the zinc'sulfide, mixing with the residue additional flotation reagent and co per sulfate, and recovering the zinc sulfi e by subjecting the mixture to a furtherflotation operation.

In testimony whereof I aflix m si ature. CARROLL O.

ores and 

